Essential components of educational programming for students who are deaf or hard of hearing

2007·0.84 MB·English

by  Alberta. Alberta Education

UniversityofAlberta Libra
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620 2694812 3

Standards for
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< Amended June 2004 >
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ALBERTA EDUCATION CATALOGUING IN PUBLICATION DATA
Alberta. Alberta Education. Special Programs Branch.
Essential components ofeducational programming for students who are deafor hard of
hearing.
Series: Essential components ofeducational programming.
ISBN 978-0-7785-6184-2
1. Deafchildren - Education -Alberta. 2. Hearing impaired children -
Education -Alberta. 3. Special education -Alberta. I. Title. II. Series.
LC3984.2.A3.A333 2007 371.9
For printcopies orfurther information, contact:
Special Programs Branch
Edmonton, Alberta
Telephone: [phone]
Toll-free in Alberta: 310-0000
Fax: [phone]
This document also is available on
www.education.gov.ab.ca/k_12/specialneeds
This document appliesto grades 1-12 special education in public and separate school boards,
including Francophone education regional authorities, butexcluding charterschools, and is intended
for:
V
Teachers
s
Administrators
s
Parents
s
GeneralPublic
s
Other
Copyright ©2007, the Crown in Right ofAlberta, as represented by the Minister of Education.
Alberta Education, Edmonton, Alberta. Permission is given by the copyright owner to reproduce
this document for educational purposes and on a non-profit basis.
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
RSITY OF ALBERTA
Table of Contents
Introduction
Foreword
1
Purpose
1
Links to Standards for Special Education, AmendedJune 2004 1
Guiding Principles 2
The Students and Their Unique Educational Abilities and Needs 2
Essential Components
1. Meaningful Parent and Family Involvement 3
2. Learning Team 3
3. Knowledgeable Staff 4
4. Individualized Program Plan 4
5. Educational Programming and Services 5
a) Language and Communication 5
b) English- or French-Language Instruction 6
,
c) Assistive Technology 6
d) Classroom Environment 7
e) Social Emotional Development 7
6. Planning for Transition 8
Appendix A
Communication 9
Additional Resources 10
Glossary of Key Terms 11
References 15

Introduction
Foreword
Essential Components ofEducational Programming forStudents Who Are Deafor Hard of
Hearing is intended for classroom teachers, resource personnel, administrators and parents.
It is one of a series of documents developed to facilitate programming for students in grades 1
to 12 who have special education needs. Other topics in the series include programming for
students with behaviour disabilities, programming for students who are blind orvisually
impaired, and programming for students with autism spectrum disorders.
Essential Components
The six essential components listed in this document are contained in Standards for Special
Education, AmendedJune 2004 and are therefore mandated by Alberta Education. Each
component is considered essential to the provision ofa comprehensive program. However, the
manner in which the components are implemented may be affected by such practical
considerations as availability of resources and needs ofthe particular student.
Sample Indicators of Effective Programming
The sample indicators are examples of effective practices that illustrate the implementation of
the essential component. The indicators will vary because ofthe unique abiliti es and needs of
individual students. It is not the intent to list all possible indicators or to require all listed
indicators be implemented for every student.
Purpose
The purpose ofthis document is to:
• identify the essential components ofappropriate programming that are mandated by Alberta
Education for students with special education needs
• provide examples ofeffective practices
• establish a common understanding of specialized terminology
• clarify the meaning of appropriateness, taking into account what is reasonable for
educational programming for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Links to Standards for Special Education, Amended June 2004
Standards forSpecial Education, AmendedJune 2004 requires school boards, francophone
regional authorities and designated special education private schools to identify students with
special education needs in grades 1 to 12 and deliver effective programming for them. These
standards promote consistent, high quality educational practices within Alberta.
The Essential Components series is directly linked to the appropriateness section of Standards
for Special Education, AmendedJune 2004 in order to ensure appropriate programming related
to professional standards, individualized program planning, implementation, evaluation, and
parent involvement in decision making. Appropriateness means that "educational programming
and services are designed around the assessed needs ofthe student and are provided by
qualified staffwho are knowledgeable and skilled" {Standards for Special Education, Amended
June 2004, page 2).
EssentialComponentsofEducational Programming
for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Guiding Principles
The essential components of programming for students who are deaf or hard of hearing are
guided by the following principles.
• Programming is an active process that is based on the student's assessed abilities and
needs and is continuously monitored and adjusted.
• Students who are deaf or hard of hearing participate in Alberta Education's programs of
study to the fullest extent possible.
• The essential components of educational programming overlap; they are processes that
work together.
• Meaningful parent and family involvement is intrinsic to all ofthe essential components.
• Staff and students should have access to specialists and resources that support the
educational program.
The Students and Their Unique Educational Abilities and Needs
Students who are deaf (D) or hard of hearing (HH) have a diagnosis from an audiologist which
identifies the presence and degree of hearing loss. The Canadian Academy ofAudiology
defines hearing loss as mild (26-40 decibels), moderate (41-55 decibels), moderate to severe
(56-70 decibels), severe (71-90 decibels), or profound (90+ decibels), or a combination ofthese
levels. Although medical terminology refers to people with mild and moderate hearing loss as
hard of hearing and those with severe and profound hearing loss as deaf, the degree of hearing
loss does not predetermine how students function in auditory, educational and social situations.
Students who have a moderate hearing loss may function as deaf, and, with current
technologies, students with severe to profound hearing loss may function as hard of hearing.
Students who are D or HH, including those who have additional disabilities (e.g., deaf-blind),
encompass a vast array of abilities and needs and therefore the specialized supports that are
required also vary dramatically.
Students who are D or HH follow Alberta Education's programs of study at a rate in line with
their abilities and needs. To fully benefit from their educational program, students need support
from rehabilitation, health and/or education professionals with specific training, knowledge and
skills for D or HH in some or all ofthe following areas, listed in alphabetical order:
assistive technologies
classroom environment
communication methods
English- or French-language instruction
language development.
Students who use an oral/aural approach, using speech and residual hearing with assistive
technologies, may receive their program in an inclusive classroom, a specialized program for
oral students with hearing loss where available, or a combination of programs.
Students who use sign language as their primary mode ofcommunication may choose, where
available, a specialized program that uses American Sign Language (ASL) and/or Manually
Coded English (including an oral/aural component) as the language of instruction. (For more
information see Language and Communication, page 5). Students may attend an inclusive
classroom in their community school. Staff need to understand which language and
communication method(s) the student is using and build corresponding supports.
EssentialComponentsofEducationalProgramming
forStudents WhoAre DeaforHardofHearing